Very good players are managed, not coached - Prosper Ogum reflects on Dwarfs turnaround

Prosper Narteh Ogum has underscored the importance of man-management over pure tactical instruction, pointing to his transformative spell with Ebusua Dwarfs as evidence of that philosophy in action.

The Black Starlets coach revisited his brief but impactful stint in 2016, when he inherited a struggling Dwarfs side anchored at the foot of the Ghana Premier League table.

Within months, Ogum orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, steering the club away from relegation danger and into a respectable mid-table finish.

Rather than focusing solely on systems and formations, Ogum attributes the revival to his ability to build trust, unity and belief within the squad.

“I had very good players, all I did was to manage them and design a structure for them to play,” he said on the GFA Podcast.

“They had so much respect for me, and that was one thing that worked. We came together as a family, and that did the trick,” he added.

Ogum’s recruitment approach also proved decisive. By targeting determined, emerging talents, particularly from the University of Cape Coast, he injected fresh energy into the squad.

One notable addition was Dennis Nkrumah-Korsah, who went on to establish himself as a key figure in the domestic league.